The Meta

Flash: Rebirth #1

We begin on a rainy day in Central City. Inside the Central City Police Science Lab. Two police scientists are going over DNA evidence from a recent murder case. The young CSI keeps telling his superior that after three times, the evidence still doesn’t match. The senior CSI tells him given the circumstances with the case there is too much media attention. He has to make it match. Soon, a mysterious figure holding a case with a lighting bolt on the tip of it bursts through the doors. As the men turn, the mysterious figure slashes the throat of the older CSI before going after the younger one and killing him with the same cane. With the two police scientists dead, the man moves to the chemical rack and starts mixing together chemicals. He starts narrating the story: “You were wrong about many things Barry.” “Guilty or not guilty?” “Everyone is guilty.” Soon the clock on the wall ticks to five after seven. As two police officers barge in, the man says: “Death is never the end.” “And lighting always strikes twice.” A lighting bolt soon comes out of the sky and hits the man and he is charged with speed force energy. He then zooms out of the room saying that he brought back Barry and it’s the worst thing he could do. The next day, cars are cluttered on the bridge as people flock for the return of Barry Allen as the Flash to Central City. Over in Gorilla City, they celebrate his return while a parade is held in Keystone City. Captain Cold and the rest of the Rogues realize they need more Rogues to deal with all of this. While Abra Kadabra dusts off his old Flash puppets, people stand in line at the Flash Museum, which has recently been rebuilt. Dr. Alchemy sits in his prison cell at Iron Heights, wondering if the Flash will remember what he did to “her.” Back at the Flash Museum, Barry Allen finally buys his ticket and walks in to see people speeding through, texting, talking and what not. He soon turns hearing a voice and sees Hal Jordan, better known as Green Lantern. While the Teen Titans, Justice Society and Wally West and his family wait for Barry to join them. Jay Garrick talks about how Barry found him and pretty much brought the Justice Society back. While Wally is happy to have his uncle back. Bart Allen in the mean time isn’t to happy with his grandfather back while Max Mercury is still in the Speed Force while Iris Allen gets a phone call from Captain Frye of the CCPD that he knows Barry is back and needs him to help solve a murder

Back at the Flash Museum, Barry and Hal talk while Barry sees that the world is finally catching up with him. Barry goes through what has happened since he has been “dead” and learns of all the “new” Rogues, other evil speedsters like Savitar and Zoom, Iron Heights and more. Hal talks about how having Barry back is a great thing but Barry isn’t so sure. Wally has been carrying on the title of the Flash for several years. Hal tells Barry that Wally is more focused on family now. Barry then brings up Bart but Hal tells Barry that Bart is too busy living in the past and still has a long way to go before taking back up the mantel of the Flash again. He tells Barry to smile and enjoy what he has now, he out ran death. Over on a farm in Fallville, Iowa. Two brothers are finishing up some baseball when their mother tells them to come in before it starts to rain. The two brothers race back to the house when one of them trips on a burnt trail in the middle of their corn field. They follow and find the Black Flash, who is apparently dead and turns to ash when the boys poke it with their baseball bat. Back in Central City, Hal and Barry finish up their tour of the Rogues Gallery and leave the museum. Barry doesn’t get why the Rogues can’t stay “locked up” and Hal tells Barry he should get going and hit up the parades and parties but Barry isn’t going to do that. He might be back but time hasn’t stopped. Hal tells him that the speed force isn’t going to come back and grab him, he’s free. Barry agrees but he doesn’t have time. The world needs him and he suits up in his costume and takes off to be a hero.

As Barry runs through Central City towards Keystone City, he remembers what started it all to becoming a CSI, he remembers running home as a young boy and finding the police there. His mother apparently killed by his father who kept telling both Barry and the police that he didn’t do it and would never harm his wife. Barry still remembers running towards that car but never catching it. Soon an explosion of Speed Force opens over Barry’s Flash logo and a hand emerges. Savitar bursts through the hole, finally free after being imprisoned in the Speed Force for so long by Wally West. He starts to run and Barry follows but as Barry catches up and touches Savitar, he starts to decay and age. Soon lighting hits Wally and his twins. As Savitar starts to die he tells Barry: “… you were the beginning Allen… and you’re the end.” Soon lightning hits Bart Allen, Jay Garrick, Jesse Tyler and Bart Allen as the rest of Savitar’s body falls apart and so does the remains of the Black Flash. Barry is left not knowing what the hell he just did. End of issue. That’s it folks, Barry Allen is back and with him comes family, friends and tons of mysteries. Geoff Johns and Ethan Van Sciver kick off Flash: Rebirth with a bang. While Alex Sinclair’s colors are nice with Sciver’s pencils. I still believe Moose Baumann’s colors would have been a lot stronger. I also don’t like the retcon of Barry’s parents too much but I want to see where it goes. Other wise a kick ass start to Barry Allen’s return.